"MORPHFLY" Boulder Colorado

The restroom renovation at Boulder Public Library is the first public art project completed since the City of Boulder adopted a percent for art rule. This project used 1% of its overall construction budget to integrate a new mural by Monica Cervone McElwain (1st floor). Aspects of each mural are then reproduced within each stall. The new facilities are all-gender and designed to be inclusive for all users regardless of gender, age, ability, and need.

Materials used: Acrylic, paint markers, book pages, parachute cloth and nova gel. The design of this mural is whimsically themed and inspired by the rarity of a Common Archduke Butterfly (Lexias pardalis). This rare butterfly was found in the year of 2015 at Drexel University during a butterfly exhibit. The butterfly was recognized with a unique and beautiful condition called Gynandromorphy which means, having both male and female characteristics. This type of butterfly lives in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, eats off ripe guava fruit and can be often found by the yellow cow wood flowers. One can wonder through this artwork, enjoying the stages of its life cycle and the colors and patterns surrounding them. I want the viewers to be curious about the imagery and uniqueness of the morphed butterfly. I hope they appreciate and respect its beauty and uniqueness as like I did, stumbling upon this mural.

Mural Design 1

Revision

Final Mural Revision Design 2

Inspiration images

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